Ginger Root Tea
by WaterWarrior294
Summary: "When he finished, he sat up, and buried his face in his hands. "I… I feel horrible, Katara…" "I know… I know." She smoothed his dark cowlick consolingly." Being sick has its disadvantages... and its benefits. KATAANG! XD


**Alright. Another really, really popular topic. I'm gonna try to slap butt with SOJ (Stick Of Justice) on this one. TRY.**

**At least pretend to enjoy it, okay?**

**Set in season three. Enjoy!**

**Xxx**

Katara sighed, and held the cup to Aang's cracked lips. "Aang, drink the tea."

"But…"

"Aang, drink it. It'll help you feel better."

"But I'll just throw it up again."

Katara narrowed her eyes. "Drink. The. Tea."

The airbender groaned. "Okay." He parted his mouth feebly.

The waterbender tipped the small bowl to make the healing beverage seep down his sore throat. It tasted of ginger root and herbs. It burned his tongue, but it wiped away the scratchy feeling on his tonsils.

Once he had emptied it, Katara set it aside, and gently placed his head back on the pillows. Since he had no sleeping bag, the girl had forced him to rest in hers. She would wash it afterwards. At first, he said no, he was fine with sleeping on the ground. But when he gave in, he was very, very thankful. It was not only warm, but it smelled like her. Beach roses. Each time he sunk into it, he immediately felt better.

Katara tucked the blankets up to his chin. "Get lots of rest. Don't you dare try to get up and walk around. Stay under the sheets and sweat it out. If you need something, don't be afraid to call me, okay?"

Aang coughed into his hand. "Okay."

She brushed a strand of short, shaggy hair from his brow. "I'm going to go check on Sokka and Toph." She leaned down and pressed her soft lips to his forehead. "Stay here, and try to get better."

He could feel himself heat up, and he didn't think it was from the raging fever. "Alright."

The waterbender stood, and walked off toward the stream where he could hear Sokka and Toph arguing.

He watched her longingly from under his blankets, until she disappeared over the hill. Then his eyes forced themselves closed, and soon he was asleep, dreaming about not being sick and getting those affectionate kisses daily.

Xxx

"Hey! That's not funny!"

"Yes, it is. It's totally funny."

"I don't care!"

Katara sighed, and rubbed her temples. "Guys, stop."

Sokka growled, and jabbed a finger at a smirking Toph. "Then tell her to quit playing those tricks on me!"

"What did she do?"

Toph casually bit into an apple she had in her hand.

Sokka was practically snarling. "She filled my whole sleeping bag up with _apple cores!_ Now it's all sticky!"

Toph shrugged casually. "I like apples."

Katara groaned, and rested her fingers on the bridge of her nose. "Okay. I'm sorry about the bag, Sokka, and I'll wash it the best I can. Toph, don't do that again. But can you two please keep quiet? Aang is trying to get his sleep."

Toph spit out a seed. "Is he still sick?"

"Yes. He needs to get better."

Sokka snorted. "Oh, I get it. You care about Airhead, who's just got a little cold, but I don't matter, even though my sleeping bag was crammed with slimy cores! Oh, yeah, just ignore me! I'm fine with that!"

Katara whipped to her brother, rage building up inside her. "Sokka! Aang does not just have a cold!"

"What's wrong with him, then, oh All-Knowing One?"

She swallowed. "I think he has the flu."

Sokka scoffed. "And what's the difference between a cold and the flu?"

He was answered with a smack to the back of the head.

"Ow!" He rubbed just below his ponytail. "What was that for?"

Katara stomped her foot in outrage. "Are you really that thick skulled?" She put her hands on her hips. "Aang is not feeling good at all! He can hardly move!"

The tribesman grimaced. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry."

"Better." Katara stormed off, nose in the air. "Now, I'm going to go check on him. You two behave!"

"Yeah, right," Toph murmured, right after she left. "Like _that's_ ever gonna happen."

Xxx

"Aang?"

He opened his eyes wearily. "Huh?"

A figure leaned over him. He could feel the lightest brushing sensation across his cheeks.

"Aang, it's time to take your medicine now."

Katara was over him, holding a steaming cup of fresh ginger root tea. Her chocolate curls lightly touched his face as she tried to push them away.

He coughed into his fist, and curled up tighter in the sleeping bag, digging his face into the warmth. "Later… too… too tired…"

He felt a hand gently wedge itself under his head. "Aang, if you don't have more tea, you won't get better."

The sick boy sniffed, and shakily lifted himself up on one elbow. Then he opened his mouth reluctantly to let the tea in.

Once again, Katara tipped the cup to let the drink run down his throat. It felt good, like warm sap running over a burn. The pain in his tonsils vanished for a few minutes.

When he finished, he sat up, and buried his face in his hands. "I… I feel horrible, Katara…"

"I know… I know." She smoothed his dark cowlick consolingly.

"I… I just…"

She shushed him, and reached over to press his head against her shoulder affectionately. "Ssh… it's okay…"

Aang just sighed, and leaned farther into her collarbone. He tried to take in the feel of her soft hair, and the unbelievable scent that wafted off of her in a natural perfume.

"Katara?"

She ran her hands over the top of his head. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry."

Astonished, she broke away from the embrace, and held him by his shoulders at arm's length. "For what?"

Aang sniffed, and wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. He looked down at his hands, which were wringing the blanket nervously. "Well… you're just going to so much trouble to try to make me feel better… and… and I feel guilty…"

She drew him closer, until their heads were just inches apart, and he could feel her sweet breath on his face. Her ice blue eyes looked at him seriously. "Never- ever- feel ashamed because you're sick. If you don't feel well, then I'm going to try to make you better. End of sentence." Then she leaned over and kissed his cheek. The skin tingled where her smooth lips had pressed his cheekbone. "Okay?"

Aang once again felt himself heat up tremendously. "O…Okay."

Her delicate fingers trailed down his arm and grasped his hand. She squeezed it in comfort.

Aang smiled to himself as she continued to clasp his palm soothingly. Maybe being sick wasn't so bad after all.

Xxx

**Eh… I don't know about this one. It was okay, I guess. Tell me what you think of it… because this, like I said, is a really popular topic.**

**Just review, okay? XD**


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